Intermittent self-catheterisation is widely employed by patients suffering from for example strictures or traumas in the urinary system as well as by paralysed patients to enable the patients to live a nearly normal home life. Urinary catheters supplied for intermittent self-catheterisation in general need to have a lubricant applied to the outer surfaces thereof to facilitate insertion into the urethra. Especially, for lubrication purposes hydrophilic urinary catheters may have a hydrophilic outer surface coating which should be wetted by a fluid such as water or saline for a certain time period prior to insertion thereof into the urethra of a patient.
Various methods for lubricating urinary catheters have been previously proposed, and e.g. the applicant's prior International patent application publication No. WO97/26937 discloses a wetting apparatus for wetting hydrophilic urinary catheters. This wetting apparatus comprises a wetting receptacle, which defines a wetting fluid receiving area, a hydrophilic urinary catheter placed in said wetting fluid receiving area, and a wetting fluid container. The wetting fluid container has a discharge outlet which could be opened by application of a pulling force thereto to enable the wetting fluid to be discharged into the wetting fluid receiving area for wetting of the hydrophilic urinary catheter. In this wetting apparatus the receptacle has one open end, in which the fluid container is placed, and with one end protruding out of the receptacle. Further, pulling tabs to apply the pulling force to the container are arranged at each end of the fluid container. To release the fluid, the first pulling tab being inside the receptacle is gripped through the plastic material of the receptacle, and then the second pulling tab being outside the receptacle is pulled rearwardly to cause the container to tear.
Further, a urinary catheter wetting apparatus comprising a receptacle and a rupturable liquid swelling medium pouch or container being placed within the receptacle is known from WO 98/11932. The swelling medium is discharged by applying pressure on the pouch and thereby forcing a rupture on the closure joint.
However, a problem with these known wetting apparatuses is that they are relatively difficult to handle, and especially the discharging of the wetting fluid. Particularly disabled users, such as users with limited capability of moving their limbs, have problems performing the discharging actions needed. Furthermore, it is a problem that the wetting receptacle surrounding the catheter is either opened during the discharge process, or is easily ruptured. This deteriorates the cleanness and sterility of the catheter. There is hereby also a risk for unwanted leakage and spillage of the wetting fluid, which could be very inconvenient for the user.
Accordingly, patients using hydrophilic urinary catheters require improved means for lubricating the catheters. The present invention therefore proposes to address this requirement. This object is achieved with the wetting apparatus and method according to the appended claims.